The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-02-24

The entire bridge was rooted over and sided
up so that the timbers were well protected
The framing timbers were generally white
oak obtained in the immediate vicinity. and as
there was an unlimited supply from which to
select they were fine specimens of timbers, as
only the best would be used.
The timber was hewed or flt-sawed at the site
OF the work, and all the workmanship seems to
have been carefully and neatly done, although
the spacing Of certain parts is not very regular
Upon the final inspection previous to the re-
moval OF the superstructure, the timbers were
found to be generally in q perfectly sound con-
dition, the only points where decay was discov-
cred being some few points on the tops Of the
chords.
The iron for the bridge is said to have been
made in Pittsburgh, and transported by pack
horses and teams. 1t bears the stamp Of ClOn-
nyer & Co.. and am informed that firm ry the
name was In business in that city at that date.
The blacksmithing was all hand work and done
in Chillicothe.
The masonry of the abutments and piers was
considered TO be in sufficiently good condition
to receive the new superstructure. The only
repairs made were In removing and rssetting
Q few stones at the bottom OF the central pier,
which had .loosened. ak.
The abutments and piers are built Of free
stone in random courses, with smoothly dressed
faces and Of comparatively small stones, the
courses averaging only about twelve inches in
height. Upon removing the loose stones at the
bottom Of the central pier It was found that the
dressed stonework I'D o thickness Of only
about twenty to twenty.four inches, the interior
being filed with small rubble. we'll grouted,
which had become almost rs hard a. the solid
work.
Al the time Of building the central pier was
placed In the main channel of the river, which
Is said TO have had depth Of fourteen or fifteen
feet; since then the channel has changed 80 that
ut low water the pier is now entirely on the
v1&A ranHl 10 Nv~<v v.tn De- a.
have been built In a floating caisson, having q
bottom OF Q double thickness Of timber extend
ing some distance beyond the dimensions Of the
pier. The two abutments were also placed on
timber foundations. &t
Tho buildings that were erected and occu-
pied by the early settlers In the first Capitol Of
Ohio have been, with scarcely an exception,
displaced, to make room for the more comm0-
dious and convenient homes of their descend
ants. There is nothing to suggest to the casual
visitor the age and the associations that make
Chillicothe point ofinterest TO persons famil-
TAR with the history Of Ohio and the Northwest
Territory. fG et
On the southeast corner Of Water and High
streets, however, one may see o fine stucco
covered stone house, In very fine state Of
preservation. This house was for years the
home Of Q man who filed an important or at
least useful part in the early civic life Of Ohio
The builder and owner OF the house was VIII
liam Creighton, jr., who was the first Secretary
Of State that Ohio ever had.
Creighton, like most Of the early residents of
the Scioto Valley. came from Virginia. He was
born in Berlkley County, of that State, In 1777,
and removed TO Chillicothe In ITO, where he
was admitted 70 the practice of law In the same
year. There is no part Of the history Of Ross
County m0re entertaining, instructive and dru
mstie than the personal history Of IL distin-
Suished bar Of early days.
william Creighton became successful law
yer and his. lite at the bar extended over .
period ~ nfty pears. Colonel w. e. Gilmore, at
present postmaster Of Chillicothe, waS law
student In the ONCE Of the drst Secretary of
State, and he has preserved In his pleasant
sketahes a. the old bar about sll that b known
~ hin q On svailsbas naturs. afst
Mr.. Creishton, said Colonel Gilmore, IVES mot
agreat lawyer nor widely read one, but he
applied himself TO the interests Of his clients
with greet perseverance,. He did not heeome
rich ibecsuse he did mot sock 70 acquire land,
but he was possessed Of . competenoe.t Creigh-
ton considered the iaw TO be nothing more
than good sense and sound judgment crystal.
ixed into forms and rules, and he trusted large
ly 70 his own good sense - TO what those forms
and rules were or should be In . given case.
He was but little accustomed 70 looking up
precedeuts or referring to decisions. When ID
later years more exact knowledge OF the science
Quaintanee with reported oases vss demanded
william Hoy Bond and aftsrwards John L.
FsHs uss gsas prsstissl ioksr. ~ ~ nun,.
bsr saA vasieV q Is pssnks we're almost count,
Iass. o. efSAsn - ssasabss nsasH hal